Ottawa County Dispatch Warns About Fake-IRS Phone Scam

With tax filing season underway, people in Central Arkansas are being warned about an IRS impersonator scam. Many phone scams use threats to intimidate and bully a victim into paying. Neighboring states were hit a little harder, costing 20 people in Iowa over $85,000 and victims in Minnesota hitting 65 and losing over $300,000.

The Oceanport Police Department has received reports related to a telephone scam in which the caller purports to be an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) representative. The callers are often persistent and aggressive, and may threaten immediate legal action, including arrest. The IRS will not call you if you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail.

Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.

The IRS website offers tips on how to identify a fake call and what to do. Local law enforcement has even received reports that these scammers are calling from a number that appears as “911” on caller-ID systems. Don’t give out any personal information!

If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1.800.366.4484 or at www.tigta.gov. Use their “IRS Impersonation scheme Reporting” web page. Make sure to include “IRS Telephone Scam” in your note. IRS workers can help you.

Taxpayers should be aware that there are other unrelated scams (such as a lottery sweepstakes winner) and solicitations (such as debt relief) that fraudulently claim to be from the IRS.